Crash and Pippin wanted me to tell the whole world what good flyers they are. I told them the whole world didn't care, but I'd post it on their blog for those who did.
We let their flight feathers grow back in, and they've had them for 6 months now. We've been working with them, on and off, on 'fly' and 'come' commands. Soon we'll put this 'introductory lesson' to clicker training. As cockatiels, they really enjoy flying, and flying fast, and...as young birds, not so much looking where they are going. We've skimmed wings and tails on walls, ceilings, a ceiling fan, a picture, a plant, and a chair. Nothing serious, but we would like them to have a bit more control, and more direction when they are out flying for their excercise. Then there is the 'taking off because we're scared' scenario. Bad deal. We'd like to get 'land' or 'come' on a cue so that even if they are scared or out of their element they will fly to either Trev or myself.
We've decided to put retrieve on the back burner for now, and teach a few other tricks w/ the clicker. Likely to start those this week.
June 9, 2009
May 20, 2009
No! Don't Wanna!
Crash and Pippin have started learning 'retrieve' but Mom isn't the greatest teacher. She messed up her shaping behavior, so after memorial day, we'll start over and do it right this time! Both are good at picking up the ring, and holding it, but we're working on bring it 'put it in the hand'. Right now we're learned "back up and fling!". Great game, this.
In the meantime, however, they have both learned a bad habit. Not wanting to go back into their house after playtime, they've decided to fly up on their playtop. For a while, they would step up from there but immediately fly to our shoulders, then back to the playtop. Hard to put them away when they are doing this. After a while, however, they started showing bad behaviors on the playtop - defensive posturing and even biting. At this point, their dad found a phillips and removed the playtop from their house.
We're trying to determine right now if the behavior is becuase that corner is a bit darker (though not dark) than the rest of the room, if the design of the inside of their cage was causing them to not want to go back in, or if this is an adolescent 'what can we get away with'. Biting is not tolerated, however. And since we'll be out of town with a bird sitter this weekend, and they haven't shaped up, they will, unfortunately, have to stay in their cage for 5 straight days. We'll work on the 'go home' behavior when we return.
In the meantime, however, they have both learned a bad habit. Not wanting to go back into their house after playtime, they've decided to fly up on their playtop. For a while, they would step up from there but immediately fly to our shoulders, then back to the playtop. Hard to put them away when they are doing this. After a while, however, they started showing bad behaviors on the playtop - defensive posturing and even biting. At this point, their dad found a phillips and removed the playtop from their house.
We're trying to determine right now if the behavior is becuase that corner is a bit darker (though not dark) than the rest of the room, if the design of the inside of their cage was causing them to not want to go back in, or if this is an adolescent 'what can we get away with'. Biting is not tolerated, however. And since we'll be out of town with a bird sitter this weekend, and they haven't shaped up, they will, unfortunately, have to stay in their cage for 5 straight days. We'll work on the 'go home' behavior when we return.
April 12, 2009
Up!
The last week Crash and Pippin have been working on climbing a ladder. It's their second prop behavior. Crash was quite hesitant at first, not wanting to climb, he wanted to chase the pencil! He likes that one, he's figured it out! So, I lured him up the ladder a few steps at a time, using the pencil and clicked and treated for looking up the ladder, climbing the step, putting a foot on the next step, etc. He went from bottom to top that first day and got a jackpot.
Pippin is our more food oriented bird. He's really wanting those treats. The problem is he's also a bit...absent minded. Ooh look, a pencil! Ooh look, a shoelace! Oh! A foot! And so on... But, he's also so eager to please, and he is less timid than Crash. He tends to catch on faster, but then loose interest faster, too. He made it from bottom to top, much faster than Crash, though he required a bit of luring too.
Skip forward to tonight.
Trevor and I headed to my parent's for Easter, which meant the boys were home alone for two days. They are always very excited to see us when we get back, so first we just let them fly around a bunch. Then we decided to do some training, but didn't feel like putting one back in the cage, as they were so excited to be out. So we put the ladder out, and waited to see if they remembered it. Whalla! Up they went. we started by putting them 1/2 way down and having them climb to the top for clicks and treats. Pretty soon they were going from bottom to top. Then we got out a ring we want to use for their next behavior - retrieve. I started targetting around the ring, so they'd be less scared of it. Then - Crash ran over to the ladder and went up it all by himself! Click and Treat! And note to mom, put away one prop before working with the next!!!
They progressed to picking the ring up from my hand, and setting it back down. We'll work on that trick some more this week. I'm so excited about how fast they are learning!!
Pippin is our more food oriented bird. He's really wanting those treats. The problem is he's also a bit...absent minded. Ooh look, a pencil! Ooh look, a shoelace! Oh! A foot! And so on... But, he's also so eager to please, and he is less timid than Crash. He tends to catch on faster, but then loose interest faster, too. He made it from bottom to top, much faster than Crash, though he required a bit of luring too.
Skip forward to tonight.
Trevor and I headed to my parent's for Easter, which meant the boys were home alone for two days. They are always very excited to see us when we get back, so first we just let them fly around a bunch. Then we decided to do some training, but didn't feel like putting one back in the cage, as they were so excited to be out. So we put the ladder out, and waited to see if they remembered it. Whalla! Up they went. we started by putting them 1/2 way down and having them climb to the top for clicks and treats. Pretty soon they were going from bottom to top. Then we got out a ring we want to use for their next behavior - retrieve. I started targetting around the ring, so they'd be less scared of it. Then - Crash ran over to the ladder and went up it all by himself! Click and Treat! And note to mom, put away one prop before working with the next!!!
They progressed to picking the ring up from my hand, and setting it back down. We'll work on that trick some more this week. I'm so excited about how fast they are learning!!
April 5, 2009
On Target
Crash and Pippin are happy to report that they have figured out that:
1. The pencil with an erasure at the end is NOT an bird-eating-monster
2. That they get a click and treat each time they touch said erasure and
3. That training is buckets of fun!
Trev and I did some more training sessions with the birds on targeting over Friday-today. We used the mechanical pencil one more time, on Friday's session. The first time we let both birds be out, and one watched the other train. This got trickier as they began to realize what click-treat meant... For round two on Friday, we put Pippin in the cage while crash trained on the other side of the room from him, but in plain sight. There was some calling back and forth from Pip, but crash was intent on learning how to get treats. He ran a few steps for the pencil, and got his jackpot. When we took Crash and put him in the cage, and brought Pip over, there was more calling back and forth. It took Pip a bit to calm down enough to train, but then train he did. He's such an enthusiastic little trainee! He figured out the pencil, and chased it up and down trev's leg, and got his jackpot.
Saturday we did the total clean of the boy's cage, and rearranged their perches and toys. While we were doing this, Crash and Pippin were playing on the floor. Pippin went over to the big, scary, regular type pencil, and picked it up! Oh, if ONLY I had the clicker ready! Still, from that moment we've switched to the erasure end of the reg. pencil. Saturday we did two training sessions, one in the morning and one in the evening. By the evening session, both birds are running at least 6 steps towards the target. Their attention span isn't 100 percent yet, as they will often stop to look for treats that 'fell off' the bit of millet sprig, but they are doing well.
Today we will continue to teach targetting, and begin...'climb the ladder' - their second prop behavior. They are very excited. They like ladders, and treats.
1. The pencil with an erasure at the end is NOT an bird-eating-monster
2. That they get a click and treat each time they touch said erasure and
3. That training is buckets of fun!
Trev and I did some more training sessions with the birds on targeting over Friday-today. We used the mechanical pencil one more time, on Friday's session. The first time we let both birds be out, and one watched the other train. This got trickier as they began to realize what click-treat meant... For round two on Friday, we put Pippin in the cage while crash trained on the other side of the room from him, but in plain sight. There was some calling back and forth from Pip, but crash was intent on learning how to get treats. He ran a few steps for the pencil, and got his jackpot. When we took Crash and put him in the cage, and brought Pip over, there was more calling back and forth. It took Pip a bit to calm down enough to train, but then train he did. He's such an enthusiastic little trainee! He figured out the pencil, and chased it up and down trev's leg, and got his jackpot.
Saturday we did the total clean of the boy's cage, and rearranged their perches and toys. While we were doing this, Crash and Pippin were playing on the floor. Pippin went over to the big, scary, regular type pencil, and picked it up! Oh, if ONLY I had the clicker ready! Still, from that moment we've switched to the erasure end of the reg. pencil. Saturday we did two training sessions, one in the morning and one in the evening. By the evening session, both birds are running at least 6 steps towards the target. Their attention span isn't 100 percent yet, as they will often stop to look for treats that 'fell off' the bit of millet sprig, but they are doing well.
Today we will continue to teach targetting, and begin...'climb the ladder' - their second prop behavior. They are very excited. They like ladders, and treats.
April 2, 2009
Target - Aquired!
Tonight was day three of training for the boys. Crash and Pippin are very proud of their accomplishments. They told me to tell you not only did they get to eat millet for 2 training sessions each, but then they were given peas, corn, and carrots as a special treat for doing so well at training. (SHHH, says Tricia, don't tell them it's healthy to eat their veg; or they might not like them as much as they do!!)
Tonight's game plan: Start target practice
Description: teach the birds to nip the end of a target (in this case a mechanical pencil w/no lead). For each nip, they get a treat. Each nip we move the target, first left and right, then slightly up and down. Work towards taking steps to reach it (likely multiple sessions).
Steps:
Introduce target, give birds time to become comfortable around it.
With both birds out, choose one to train with
Place training bird on table w/ targeting stick (other bird on Trev's shoulder, playing w/ him or watching)
Treats when:
-bird looks at pencil
-bird walks towards pencil
-bird leans towards pencil
-bird beaks pencil
Then, picking up pencil into hand, treats when (also clicks):
-bird touches pencil anywhere on pencil (we'll shape the behavior to touch only the tip later)
-bird leans towards pencil and almost touches (it is still very big and scary)
Notes:
We started out with a pencil that was un-sharpened and had an eraser. This was too big and scary for the birds. We decided to try the non-lead mechanical one. Yes - much better.
Crash started. He started w/ the regular pencil and did manage to walk over to it. I was clicking and treating for position the whole time. But, he hissed at it a bunches. Pippin wouldn't even go on the table with it. Time to try something new! Mechanical, held in hand, and only the tip showing...Good idea, glad I'm reading this book! Yay, another step forward.
Crash:
Crash did v. good w/ the reg. pencil, gradually moving towards it, getting many clicks and treats. Mental block over touching it though. Started to lose interest, gave him praise and he flew to trevs shoulder.
Second round, much the same (still reg. pencil)
Third round, mech pencil - held in hand. Soon if it was placed in front of his nose, he would nip it. Many clicks and treats. he went up high for it and received a jackpot. (then back to trev's shoulder)
Fourth round, a bit of moving around, but lost interest faster. Also by this poitn Pip had decided it was a fun game, so he wanted to play too. More juggling two birds.
Pippin:
First round: NOT going on table w/ big, scary bird eating alligator - er - pencil. (Pip, there are crocodiles where you come from, not alligators!) (Mom, I'm from the Twin Cities, it was an Alligator. The dogs I used to live with, and the other birds, told me ALLL about them!)
Second round: On table, 1/2 way to pencil (still reg)
Third round, mechanical. Had to do this round on Trev's shoulder. Click and treats 4 times. Then lost interest.
3.5 round. Becomes interested in Crashes 4th round.
4th round, many clicks and treats. Seems to 'get it' (of course I do, mom!) Gets a jackpot at the end for going after the pencil that was up by my shoulder (he was sitting on my 'shelf perch' - Mom's have them just for cockatiels to sit on, you know)
All and all, the birds and Trev and I were very excited about their progress today. I learned a few things about holding the target and where to put target, clicker and treats. The birds seem to be learning, slowly, about whose turn it is when we're training, although I think we need a better solution than Trev's shoulder. 1. he'd like to start training them, too, once they get used to the idea of training and 2. What if only one of us is home?! As mentioned above, the boys got fresh corn, peas, and carrot bits for a treat after their millet because they were so good. (SHHH, really, it was part of their dinner, but the love it so much, we dont' want to disuade them). I tihnk we'll continue with this first prop training for a few more sessions at least, until both birds are going at least 6 steps towards their target. Then we might introduce the original pencil back into the equation and see if they will target that. Easire to take that with us, and Trevor wants the mechanical back to do Sudoku with.
Tonight's game plan: Start target practice
Description: teach the birds to nip the end of a target (in this case a mechanical pencil w/no lead). For each nip, they get a treat. Each nip we move the target, first left and right, then slightly up and down. Work towards taking steps to reach it (likely multiple sessions).
Steps:
Introduce target, give birds time to become comfortable around it.
With both birds out, choose one to train with
Place training bird on table w/ targeting stick (other bird on Trev's shoulder, playing w/ him or watching)
Treats when:
-bird looks at pencil
-bird walks towards pencil
-bird leans towards pencil
-bird beaks pencil
Then, picking up pencil into hand, treats when (also clicks):
-bird touches pencil anywhere on pencil (we'll shape the behavior to touch only the tip later)
-bird leans towards pencil and almost touches (it is still very big and scary)
Notes:
We started out with a pencil that was un-sharpened and had an eraser. This was too big and scary for the birds. We decided to try the non-lead mechanical one. Yes - much better.
Crash started. He started w/ the regular pencil and did manage to walk over to it. I was clicking and treating for position the whole time. But, he hissed at it a bunches. Pippin wouldn't even go on the table with it. Time to try something new! Mechanical, held in hand, and only the tip showing...Good idea, glad I'm reading this book! Yay, another step forward.
Crash:
Crash did v. good w/ the reg. pencil, gradually moving towards it, getting many clicks and treats. Mental block over touching it though. Started to lose interest, gave him praise and he flew to trevs shoulder.
Second round, much the same (still reg. pencil)
Third round, mech pencil - held in hand. Soon if it was placed in front of his nose, he would nip it. Many clicks and treats. he went up high for it and received a jackpot. (then back to trev's shoulder)
Fourth round, a bit of moving around, but lost interest faster. Also by this poitn Pip had decided it was a fun game, so he wanted to play too. More juggling two birds.
Pippin:
First round: NOT going on table w/ big, scary bird eating alligator - er - pencil. (Pip, there are crocodiles where you come from, not alligators!) (Mom, I'm from the Twin Cities, it was an Alligator. The dogs I used to live with, and the other birds, told me ALLL about them!)
Second round: On table, 1/2 way to pencil (still reg)
Third round, mechanical. Had to do this round on Trev's shoulder. Click and treats 4 times. Then lost interest.
3.5 round. Becomes interested in Crashes 4th round.
4th round, many clicks and treats. Seems to 'get it' (of course I do, mom!) Gets a jackpot at the end for going after the pencil that was up by my shoulder (he was sitting on my 'shelf perch' - Mom's have them just for cockatiels to sit on, you know)
All and all, the birds and Trev and I were very excited about their progress today. I learned a few things about holding the target and where to put target, clicker and treats. The birds seem to be learning, slowly, about whose turn it is when we're training, although I think we need a better solution than Trev's shoulder. 1. he'd like to start training them, too, once they get used to the idea of training and 2. What if only one of us is home?! As mentioned above, the boys got fresh corn, peas, and carrot bits for a treat after their millet because they were so good. (SHHH, really, it was part of their dinner, but the love it so much, we dont' want to disuade them). I tihnk we'll continue with this first prop training for a few more sessions at least, until both birds are going at least 6 steps towards their target. Then we might introduce the original pencil back into the equation and see if they will target that. Easire to take that with us, and Trevor wants the mechanical back to do Sudoku with.
April 1, 2009
"Charging" ahead
Hi everyone! Crash and Pippin wanted me to update you on this clicker training they just started. Monday and Tuesday night they began what is called 'charging' the clicker. This is where they learned not to be afraid of the 'click-click' noise that it makes, and to eat millet when said noise happened. Yup - they liked this game, hear a noise, eat a treat, repeat!
Monday Trev and I learned the tricks of trying to train two bonded birds who are always out or in their cage together. Taking one out for training...not just yet. We'll work on that later. So, we did our best. We tried one bird in one room, one in another. This - not possible. The noise cockatiels make when they are looking for their flock - other tiel owners will know what I mean...over and over. So, we tried in the same room, but distract one. This worked better. Both birds got in two good reps before losing interest, but we weren't positive the clicker was adequately charged, so we repeated on Tuesday night.
Tuesday night we worked with Pippin first. Trev had Crash on his shoulder, and Crash was ok with chillin. Then we traded birds. Repeat. Click treat, click treat. A bit harder for Trev, cause Pip knew what was going on. Then we went for round two. The problem here was that both birds had learned what click meant. Fresh in their minds. We have a few successful clicks and treats, but it was hard to keep the second bird from helping the first.
This is something we're going to have to work on as we continue to train. Crash and Pip don't agree. They like watching, and helping to eat treats. Especially the treat helping part.
Monday Trev and I learned the tricks of trying to train two bonded birds who are always out or in their cage together. Taking one out for training...not just yet. We'll work on that later. So, we did our best. We tried one bird in one room, one in another. This - not possible. The noise cockatiels make when they are looking for their flock - other tiel owners will know what I mean...over and over. So, we tried in the same room, but distract one. This worked better. Both birds got in two good reps before losing interest, but we weren't positive the clicker was adequately charged, so we repeated on Tuesday night.
Tuesday night we worked with Pippin first. Trev had Crash on his shoulder, and Crash was ok with chillin. Then we traded birds. Repeat. Click treat, click treat. A bit harder for Trev, cause Pip knew what was going on. Then we went for round two. The problem here was that both birds had learned what click meant. Fresh in their minds. We have a few successful clicks and treats, but it was hard to keep the second bird from helping the first.
This is something we're going to have to work on as we continue to train. Crash and Pip don't agree. They like watching, and helping to eat treats. Especially the treat helping part.
March 30, 2009
Their Very Own Blog
Crash and Pippin told me they wanted their very own blog. They heard me talking about blogging to a friend the other day. They said, without words since they don't have any human words yet, 'wouldn't it be cool if we had our own blog? You can write all about us, and how our training is going, and what adventures we've gotten ourselves into?!' I thought to myself, 'Great idea!' and promptly gave them praise for the great idea they had. They also told me they'd help type...they are very handy with a keyboard, they can almost remove the keys and are very good and the laptops mouse button! I declined the aid, but promised to begin this very night with a blog for them. I'll show them in the morning.
Crash and Pippin are both male cockatiels, about 9 months old. Born in June (the 24th and 25th) of 2008, they came to live with me and my boyfriend, Trevor, in October. They started in a giant (24"x36") acrylic cage, but this didn't suit them very much at all. We loved it because we could see them so well, but they are little climbers, and told us the slippery sides wouldn't do at all. Also, we were borrowing the cage to see if it would work, and had to return it to it's proper owners so we found them a cage of the same dimensions that was made of bars, and they quite approve.
Crash and Pippin would have me tell you that they are quite bonded to eachother, and don't like being seperated. If one goes into another room with one of us, the other needs to call to his 'flock' to find out where the other went. They quite like us as well. They tell us with 'kisses' and wolf whistles, and other wonderful singing. They both are quite well mannered, love meeting new people, 'step up' beautifully (98% of the time...cause really, who wants to step up if you know bedtime happens right after!?!), and are starting to become accomplished flyers.
You might be wondering how they got their names. Crash named himself. Crash...crashed a lot when we he came to live with us. He had clipped wings, but kept trying to fly. Instead of learning to glide nicely to a stop, he'd beat his wings so fast he'd fly straight up in the air and land right back down on his bottom. Snap - there went one tail feather. Crunch - there went another. Luckily, none of these were blood feathers. He has his flight feathers now, and is actually the better flier of the two. Let's hope from now on his name is similar to naming a tall human 'shorty'. Pippin is named after the hobbit in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings Trilogy. And, like his namesake, he's good at finding trouble. His favorite type of trouble is "bite the electrical cord and see the humans come running". Both are wonderful birds and are learning to adjust to the human members of their flock. And speaking of their human flock - I should be going to bed.
Crash and Pippin are both male cockatiels, about 9 months old. Born in June (the 24th and 25th) of 2008, they came to live with me and my boyfriend, Trevor, in October. They started in a giant (24"x36") acrylic cage, but this didn't suit them very much at all. We loved it because we could see them so well, but they are little climbers, and told us the slippery sides wouldn't do at all. Also, we were borrowing the cage to see if it would work, and had to return it to it's proper owners so we found them a cage of the same dimensions that was made of bars, and they quite approve.
Crash and Pippin would have me tell you that they are quite bonded to eachother, and don't like being seperated. If one goes into another room with one of us, the other needs to call to his 'flock' to find out where the other went. They quite like us as well. They tell us with 'kisses' and wolf whistles, and other wonderful singing. They both are quite well mannered, love meeting new people, 'step up' beautifully (98% of the time...cause really, who wants to step up if you know bedtime happens right after!?!), and are starting to become accomplished flyers.
You might be wondering how they got their names. Crash named himself. Crash...crashed a lot when we he came to live with us. He had clipped wings, but kept trying to fly. Instead of learning to glide nicely to a stop, he'd beat his wings so fast he'd fly straight up in the air and land right back down on his bottom. Snap - there went one tail feather. Crunch - there went another. Luckily, none of these were blood feathers. He has his flight feathers now, and is actually the better flier of the two. Let's hope from now on his name is similar to naming a tall human 'shorty'. Pippin is named after the hobbit in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings Trilogy. And, like his namesake, he's good at finding trouble. His favorite type of trouble is "bite the electrical cord and see the humans come running". Both are wonderful birds and are learning to adjust to the human members of their flock. And speaking of their human flock - I should be going to bed.
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